V.' >^' I O J w O 



Hollinerr 



E 682 
.H4 
Copy 1 



THE 



BALANCE SHEET 




DA 






H 



A SPEECH DELIVERED BYV 

JOHN HAY, 



CLKVKLAND. OHIO, JULY 31. 1880. 




CLKVKLAM* 

LKAI.KK IKINTISit (.OMI-ANY. 140 MlKRInR HTrKKT. 



llfllHIiE are many i*e;uso]is why ii should soi'in an 
A ca-y inatU'i- for Mjc liciMihlicaii parly (o carry 
thf electiwiis this year. The [tarty now in ct)nlrol ol' 
the National adininistnilion has i^ovornod this coun- 
try honrstly and, on the whole, wisely tor twenty 
years. IT we l(»ok to the past, we see a record of 
l(lorions it'sults, such as no oiIkt parly can lto;isl. 
'I'hc spi-ead of slavery checked, and slaviMy linally 
ai»«»rislie(| ; the Nation sa\eil from disunion aiul dis- 
nieinlH-rnient : an army of a million men raised, sul»- 
sistfil. and linalK dishanded and reiuiaiini: to the 
|)eaceliil walks of life: the Atlantic and I'acilic uniteci 

Itv i-ail: I lie del •! dimini>lied l»y ! hoM<and millions. 

and llie'i refunded h\ a simke (»l linancial policy, 
thi'iHi^h ulii(di tiuilhird nf mi |- inieresl charge was 
saved: re-um|>li<»M «»f specie pa\inenls a(;complished . 
and LCeiicral pi'nsperiiv i"estoi-e(l to the Nation; and 
all these ohjecl- atlaiiicil willi the most. sci-iipuloiis 
adhi'rence to law and constitutional pi'ecedents. ( M' 
the recnrd it[ the 1 )( niocia! ic paiMy in the last twenty 
years, it is perhaps enoui;h to say I hal il has consisted 
of savat;"!', \ indict ive oppositiiUi, hoi-n (d' hiind 
hate an<l iiinorance t(» all these heneticent a<lii(>ye- 
ments nf the IJepid>licans. They strove to extend 
shiNciy. while we Were trying" toche(d\ it; they foniilil 
to pollute free territory which we were tryin.i,^ to juo- 
tect from that accursed institulicui; they were willing 
to see the Nation destroyed ratlier than unite with us 



i • • III I'l 1 1 .t ti< 1 * ' -•■»'•• 

tll< ... '- .. i-\ I I ^ lli« 

III. (hf* I. 

and the tiii.t |»atiuii « 

iiii|»|Mirt uf the war; when 

the* III 



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nhivorv. 


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iiiitdr 


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«anlit. 
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and |> «»f tlir i>lh«*r, 

tii< t :i|t|»l> '*if(t and aiiheK, of |i«rtii>an 

\ • • I \ 1< • .!• nil I I I M II II 

1 1 1 • • 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 f \\ • ■ I • •• • k 1 1 T 

liaM not ehani:***! in the leaat 
in ail ih' Ite* of twc*nt\ l***^}' 

that wa« lit ill l^tAt km ku favur «»f 

btitlHloiing a •uiiMi'. lu IIPSO: the |»arty that 



• Ilt- 
.11 III-' and 
II r f .. Ihf 



I(Mt its hold OD the natiiHii*! >;uTernment tw< 

,.> .... ^ifT- II |HiWCT loMlay: »'•• i'»'t^ 

ul.i. 1. Ill f'T its latit l*n 

iiHti, a 8ii|»ir.'*en •! of il»« S«»iitli, liai» 

now tioniiiintcHi, in the same t icnian wliuni 

the South :m rvant, 

an«l Mr. \\:uU li u i>a<\-'^ m mi. hi i m , ' ' 

iiuiiinT wf reii.' ..-. -*» »" '" ' "' '*•'" 

Tiiii..tif\ fr..iii .1 Slate* wli •*» 

III majority of 40,<niu. 
AkiiKioniii;: for a moment. llifn'fon\ the rt- 
the |i:w«t. an<l tht* atlvanta'/c \n 

pr. • 

Tlii- Imi to 

ine which hat* n»ulte<l 
^» w.ll. They |»r.»|K*M to ^uanl the in 
Nation and the honor •f tl "I ai»iwu.i; 

ti.. 

aii'i 

th..>l.: , "•"' 

thev arti n^\K>u r ih«i induHtrie* of the 

IH'oi*!** hv jiitlicioiis tarifTit; to maintain the puritv and 
th< i'»m of the ballot • far a 

d, lo Ktfi' aiive the an. i-ni 
|ialii^'i>-in aii'i i.i ^' "i oiir father- ••- ^"^ '* »- V...... ,, 

that, !" '" ^'" '" ^" ^ loval man 

tor. Ill an J dewrring. 

This irt what we an- to exiM-et if the Kepuldican- 
reUiiu the admimstralion of affain. What w. 



liM»k f«»r III tMU*e of flu- -mr. tin* l^'iii<N>rai« i« 

a iiiuthT alMMil winch |»nMlKH«»ii'» »iilT«T. NmImmIv 

kiHiw- |inMi?««'lv what thry will th*; liiil. jinl 't«»iii 

u lial llu'\ havr Ihmii an«*iii|HM» • futh. I i-i ir*, 

! tiniik tlii'ir |mr|N»f«*f<ainl l«Mi ivii hru»l1y 

iitviiictly liiiiiiiiiari/.iHl liv S'liiitor Hour, oiio of 
ihf iiKwt hi;:li-iiiiii<hMl aii<l iiii|>arti»l *»( our |»iil>li< 
iiHMi. who ill u few r I 

proi^Maiii a^ it pn -" • 

Illtolli^^Cllt nl.-.iv. 

•'It n'|in-«« 
"4iliM'ii'>liip. I iliniw . 



i>! itii •*»' 



till- I itiiloniii- 



\\ ill! Wll 



' lliiiit^t. himI will 






'riiiK 111* wihI iif hofmwnit- h«l 

llu-ir iamli«IaU» f«»r tin I' itaiiily lliv 

rhoict* tlu*y havr iiiuilc alTonU no ^iiarauifts in hif« 
known 8i*ntimi'iitx, in liin tiiiuu-iiy. or in Iiik 
ono\ of his Ikmii;; ahic to rpi»isl the jicrnicioiiH it mi. u- 
(M. . . .r til. I ■ i 1 1 V 



I i«|MMt. tlioref«n"»'. that l liiTt" \v<ml(| st'iMii to be 
iiuiiiy reasons for r\|)o»ting a <l»'tisi\f ami an oasv 
-iHJi'ss of tlu" Ii4>|tiil>liCjiii ticket this vfar. Tlir l»ad 
nu-onl ami rhararter of llic oiif party, ami tlu* glo- 
rious history of jjn-at jictions whirli is sociiriMl ft»r tin 
other; the hiisiiiess interests «»f tlie eoutitry. all«en- 
list<'«l lojrically oil the side of tlie party whirli >avi'd 
the Nation —first in jt-s life, ami tlu'ii in its <ie»lil; 
th«» very sentinu-nl of National iiit«';:rity ami honor 
woiihl S4>eni enoii;,'h tii (leci(h> the eoiiti^st U'twiM-n 
thc.H' two prr'tcmhrs to the jmhlic favor. The Ii< 
piihliraiis cMTl^inly thserve to win this election wil houl 
ti;rhtin;; for it. Why, tlu-n, do we see thesi- rlal»oialr 
and rariit>st prr|»arHtioin' niakiii;^ all over the .North 
for a eoiiU>Mt which n-^'alls the «lays of jsiiu in its 
ardor 'of HJiicerity and conviction? Why shoiiM i 
(tarty, hu Htruiig in itn |K>silion. in its i;reat history. 
Ml it^ pun* adniiiiistration and its iMMielicenI proniisr. 
In* coiii|>«*I1(m1 to 1:0 into the arena to lii;ht for its life 
With a Hoilcd aii<l lM>dra;^;;ied va;;al)oiid of an adversa- 
ry, who h:is U'eii defeateil a;^ain and a;^ain, and whose 
every <lt*feal liari Inhmi a di'j;,'ra«e. What is tlnr. . I 
«iiy, which •;ivc8 thin purty uf Twci'd and .letTerson 
Pavis another chance fur the plunder of ihis (iovtin 
mi'iit ? 

The answer is 1«h» ohvioiis to dwell upon. Il i> 
hecaiise, throughout the whole extent of the States 
lately in reU'llion a^iiiist the National aiithonlv. 
civil fre^iloin has well ni;;h creased to exist. The 
ballot h:is Ihhmi stricken down. The ri;^ht to vole 
has Imvii trampled in the dust. In thosr States lil»- 



t'i't V li("s piost rate, uikIciIIic |M»\vi'r of iIh- sli<»l -;j,uii 
Mild I lie liiill-whip. It is \'n\- ihis ivasoii tliMl cvcrv 
lupiililicaii of \\iv N(»i-|li mii-l this year lii^lit Iwn 
adversaries; tlic hniiocral in (icni^ia (ir Mississippi 
win* voles for liiiiiscir and a in-;_;i'(» (»r lw<>, and IIk' 
I )eiiiocial in t lie Nortli ulm s\ inpat lii/t-s with hiin. 
Our oppcnicnts I'lilrr Ihis conlcsl with \>\S sltdcii 
electoral \(»lt's; votes that will ni>t liasc cost tliciii 
an clVoii of legitimate «M*i,Miii/-at hmi, nor a won! 
of persnasKMi. 'I'hey iiee(l not write «»ne arti- 
cli'; tliev iieetl not, make one speech; lliev necil 
not <pend the price of a oiie-ceiit posta;;(' 
>i;ini|». nor the I line necessaiy lor one ( 'oni^ressinaii 
Iti Iraiik an envelope. Their inachiiierv is now s(» 
perfect that e\en innrder. the cheapest td'all piditical 
niethodsiii the South, will hartlly he neeessafy th!,> 
year. Thev can even econoinize in pt»wdcr and shot, 
ftti- the\ ha\e so iillerly killed p<dilical life in their 
region that they can hardly lind a [»rctc\t for slioot- 
iliL!' a liepiihliean voter. 'i'lie ** k iss-j<d\er " was after 
all. a life sa\ iiiL,^ invcMit ion. When yt»ii can steal a 
State with a pocket full t»f tissue paper, what is the 
use of the scandal of murder!'' A few lii^nres will 
show how completely the freeiloiii of the hallot is at 
an end in some (d' tin; States of the South. 1 will 
taki- oiilv a few counties as speciincus; they gave the 
followiuir votes in 1870: 



9 

Hayes. Tiluen. 

Green ((.iintN , Alaltama 2 408 

AV.iUui) ("oimty, Groriria 2 1.808 

W ilkes County. (U-orpa 2 1.189 

East Felieiana. L«>ui-^iana <> 1.786 

F.owntlfs County, Mississiiipi 2 2.073 

Tallalialcliec County. Mississipiti 1 1.144 

Yazoo County, Missis.sii»pi 2 3,672 

Brown County. Texas 1 •^^•> 

Kaxtland County. Texas 3 1,787 

Hidaliro County, Texas 4 1,629 

Iiu< liMuan County, Viriiinia 2 1,330 

111 connection with llicsc clo<|ucnt Hi,nires lot lis 
rcatl ;i |>ar;iL;r;n>li from the 1 )cniocriitic platform of 
this yi'ur. " The ri-iit t(»a i'ruu ballot is a riglit i)re- 
scrvativc of all ri-lits, and must aiul shall he 
maintained in t'\ery [»arl of the I'nitctl Slates." Is 
this a taidv ivpeiilance? There is lu) other symptom 
of il. is it a piece of pure elTn.ntery, I lie very wanton- 
ness of impn«lence, or is it a coarse joke, uttered with 
a wink ami a irrin, in the face of tlie woi-ld? Certainly 
no such false pretense has ever been [Mit forth by an 
American party. Its falsehood is written in letters 
of l.|(M.d in evei-y election rclui-ii which has come in 
rcM-ent years from 1 he Stati's w heiv the Democrats 
have sei/etl contr«)l of alVairs. 

\('\ thev have the assurance tt> call us tlu^ ''sec- 
ln)nar' party. There is an old maxim of law that 
no man shall take advantai^e of his own wron--. But 
here we see these [jcople committing upon the lte[>ub- 
licans the most savage wrong conceivable aiul then 
blaming them for the result of it. It is as il' you 
should [)ul out a man's eyes and then curse him for 



10 

liis blindness. We are the sectiona,! party I Judge 
Harnes, of Georoia^ a nicinhci- ul' tin- Democratic 
National C'onmiittee, boasted the other day in New 
York, that (Georgia was so solid that they would 
have to hire a few I democrats to \otc \'ny (Jarlicld. so 
jis to have souu'l hiiiii" to count I heir luajtuily from. 
Willi a l>ra/,('ii and iiulilushinu clu'ck he made that 
boast, never roilectini;" (hat w hoc I h<'r(» is no dif- 
ference of opinion there is no tieedom, wIkmc Ihcrc; 
is no j>olitical movement thei'e is stai^ujition and 
death. What would happen lo ;i Northern lie|>ubli- 
cau who talked like that, in (o-ornia? TIh' other day 
a Texas IJepuldiean made a lit I le speech at a uat lierini; 
of his friends. The next da\ jtioni ineiit cili/ens 
waited npon him. and told Inni if he repealed the 
oU'ense, *' he wduld fori^ei to wake up some mornini;.'' 
Yet Northein I )euHH''i"ats attack us beciiuse '* \\v have 
no parly in t he Soul h."' 

1 do not wish to be mi>laken. I do not mean that 
the ltei)ublican pai'ly is destroyed in all the Southern 
States. On theeoni I'aiy, its vitality is still somethini;- 
to udniiri' and api)laud. It deserves oui' warm symjia- 
thy and our material aid. Kven in the midst of the 
opj)ressi(Ui under which they sulTei", the Itcpiiblicaus 
will make in siune rei,nons a gallant liuht ; they will 
cast more votes than they did four yeai's ai:;o, and 
will wrest several seats in Congi'css from the bull- 
dozers. In one or two States tlu'v will casta majoi-ily 
of votes, but they frankly admit, they (h^ not, expect 
tlieni to be counted. This is a humiliating confession 
for free people to make, but tiuth compels it to be 



11 

made. If it were to last forever it would disgrace iis 
all. It would be as infamous to us here in Northern 
Ohio as to the States wheie this wrong is practiced. 
l)nt it will only disgrace us if we submit to it. 

I think nothing- is to be iiaiued iust now bv at- 
tempting to investigate the origin of (his monstrous 
state of things. The evil exists, and the <|uestion is 
not so niiK-li linw it came about, as how it is to be 
remedied. It is clear that nothing is to be done by 
(b)vernment interference, for very good reasons. In 
the lirst place, we have no force to employ. Our 
over-worked ami ill-treated little army is all em[)loyed 
on the frontier, and even if it were large enough to 
use fni- I he k('e|ting of the peace in llie Soiitli, so long- 
as the I )rnincr;tt>; have a majority in lM)th houses of 
('oMgress, it will be impossible, even if ii were desira- 
ble, to use troops for any such [)urpose. So the evil 
must c<uitinue, for the present, without let or hin- 
drance. Constitutional (rovernmcnt sometimes has 
these liinitat ions. ^'ou cannot |)revent frauds on the 
suffrage in Smith ('arolina; you cannot prevent inde- 
l)endent candidates from being shot in the back in 
Mississippi, anymore than you can prevent a Texas 
jury from bringing in a verdict of ac(|uittal when a 
lively and genial rullian kills a Northern man. 
These are evils which can only be reached and cured 
from a distance. But our system of government is 
not absolutely ])owerless to reach them, even from a 
distance. The ballot is free here if it is not there. 
I'uldic opinion is guided by private conscience here, 
at least, and if in every State of the North the merits 



12 

of tlii."^ ^VQiit issue ;ire niiidc to iippcai- plainly, there 
will l)e an ow^l of this l>a.rl)aiasni, as soon a.s l,he pi'oper 
constitutional process can In- i;'one tiii«>nuii. Many 
individuiil i^-inies must <^o rorevor uuwiiipt of justice, 
jiud even these iJiisi^uided coiunuinities can only he 
punished at last hy hriuj^^ini^ (hem out of their miser- 
able condition of violence and darkiu'ss, ami making 
them share with us in peacel'nl ami oidcrly _L!;ovei'n- 
ment. 

So (hat, linally, the remedy I'ests with ns, with the 
Rei)uhlicans of the North. We must, and 1 tiiisl in 
Heaven we s/h(//, win this one lii;ht in addition to 
the maiiv which have _i;onc hct'ore it, and then, per- 
haps, there nniy he a laying oil' i.T hattered armor, 
;ind a period of resj IVdiii part isan st ril'e. lint not 
yet can we indiili^e in I he luxury ol indillei-enc;e or 
rei)ose. If the cause of freeilnin and nalionalilv lor 
which so many thousands of oiir hrelhien dietl was 
worth tlu'ir hlood and their inolher's lear^, it. is worth 
our serious elVorts to-da\. If there was aiiv moral 
oblii;aliou restiiii; upon •j;i>i)(\ cili/eiis in ISCij to vole 
for Lincoln rather than McCMellan, thesanu' oIjIil;;!- 
I ion rests on them now l,o vole t'«M' (Jarlicld and not 
for the camli(hite whose partv Ihrealcn the dcstrin'- 
tioii (d* liincoln's work. A victoi-y this vear will 
contirm the results of twenty years (d' lalMU- ami 
sacrilice, and we are unworthv of our priviicLics it we 
fail to win it. 

When we iuive won this election, the work will 
never again he soditiicult. Tlie Democrats sometimes 
accuse the Republicans of being in a conspiracy to 



13 

ret.jiin the govci'iiment iiidelinitelj. I am inclined to 
think there is some truth in the story, and I can name 
some of tlie });irtics to tlie conspiracy. It is a conspi- 
racy between tlie multiplication table, the almanac 
and the Constitution of the United States. It is 
based on the i)rinciple that light will conquer dark- 
ness, truth will overcome error, freedom w\]\ eternally 
get the better of slavery. The communities which 
respect the hiw will thrive and pros])er better than 
those which habitually violate it. This is the year of 
the (UMisus; the people are beiug numbci-od. There 
will be ix'sults from this enumeration which will con- 
vince the wayfaring man, though he be a Democratic 
Congressman, that power in this country must go 
hencefoith witli honesty and justice. It will pass 
forever away from the hal)ita.tions of cruelty and igno- 
rance, 'i'he sce|)tr<' is to go to the great free States 
of the North \\'est, where under a bountiful sky, a 
fi'ee, orderly. I.iw abiding petjple, wiio labor for their 
living and honor tbeii- Cod and their country, are 
(piielly \v(nking (Mil their high destiny. The Sontli 
will no longer have the j)ower to control the fate of 
this Nation. She will hereafter have oidy the influ- 
ence wiiich legitimately belongs to her, and then, and 
only then will our politics cease to be sectional. 

The Sou til has been made solid by the hope of re- 
gaining the control of the Grovernment tlirough the 
aid of the Democrats of the North. Destroy that 
hope this year, and the solidity of the South cannot 
endure in the face of the great social and industrial 
changes now going on. Their politicians will learn 



tliat II uir\ \>.iMi to tuk«- j.i.. ill ilif serious work of 
L,'c»>t'rmiu'nl tlify iiiiisi »lroj» ilioir aiili«ni:iUM| iiuiiils 
.iini lUftliiMls only siiili'il for ;i »tiiU» of slavory. .»iol 
|.Mti with llif tMiliMpriiiiii^ 2iiul oiili;:liUMUMl |n*o|>Ii> of 
till? North ill the (Mirsiiil of nM-^oimhU* ohjrrisof U'^fis- 
hilioii :iiii< a.liuiiiistniliiHi. Ami tlic |M«o|ihwill h'arii 
th;it it is not to tht'ir iiilvn-it to romuiii fon-xt-r ihr 
tools and »;its|i;iw'.s of thi'ir prom! uiid \uhtr di'iiia- 
;^«i<4iU'S wln» have iiothiii;; to l»oj|>t i»f hiil IIh* nhivi-. 
they iiscil to r«»li uml tlicroniiiiisMioiis (hi*y Inire in the 
n»lM'l urmv. \a*\ \i< win th ton liy :i ^immI. «K»- 

cinive. ctiiirliisivi' nirijority. :iiii no KiM-litMi will |»n»lh 
hv it so niiK-li :i< tin- South. Tlu'V Ii:it«' ji jin^it, rich. 
m:iUiiirnHMit tMiiintry. Thry ihmmI I:iw uml onh^r and 
a civili/.rd piihlir o|»iiiion to iiiHiin* <*a|iiUl lU due 
proleotion and lalwir lis jnst r.wanl. Thou t\w cap- 
ital will conn*, and tho lal»or will sUiy. Tlif vomI ami 
vari«M| niaiiiifai-tiin'* wliirli liny ikimI and ran sustain 
wIm'Ii tlirv liavi' a litlh- >«'ii*f UniIimi into llifui. will 
rise* likr fvhalations all «»vrr tin* land. a«* s#^>ii hm the 
(Mit^ido world in convineeil that the* ri^lit to work and 
^ct paid for it, and tho ri;;lit to think and not ^^el 
>liot fur it, oxint there iw tln^y do hen*. It neeniM 
to UK' thi're can Ik? no stupidity >*«> dens** ji** not to 
iimliTstaiid the lessons whirli this year's cimisiis will 
cry aloud to {\\n<r ?ni<L'tii«lrd jH»ople. Why are the 
distant wilder ^llnll(isota and Iowa made io 

hlossMin UA the iMse under the busy hands of strong, 
honest aiitl thrifty iiniiiii;nint<<. while the rich HeldM 
«if Mississippi and Alaliiina lie barriMi and dcserteil 
under the bright Soulhern -mm*-' W'tv i-.v. iv I.1....L 



:iiiil riVLT lliis siil*- ..f tiu- Ohio tonm-iiUMl l»v the in- 
j^iMiions hainis of skilled labor, to lmhiI rilmti' what 
|»o\v«T it may liavu' lo rnrc'liaiiical ontorprisos, wliilf 
tin' streams of t ho South irusli fromllu'ir iiMumiains 
uinl sport ilnwii to I he sou, :i.s itlje and useless as the 
loii;( haired ehivalrv who are too j>roiid ami too lazv 
to do aiiylhiiii; hut hunt ami lish and liicht alouii" their 
hanks? It IS iM'c-auscojipit^d will not trust itself where 
law is despised; hreaiise lahor eaniiot t inive wIumt it 
is not honored. No j)arl id" the «oimtrv wmw ]u>('i\> 
the hrnrlits of liepuhlieaii (ioYpriimrnt I han I his same 
Idiml and prrjudicrd South. The protection we otVcr 
to their industries; the stahility we insurr to their 
ciirrone)-; the fosterinircare wo, :is a party, have i^^iveii 
toairriiMilture; t ho i:n»al lines of iiihi-occanic commii- 
nieation whirh wo have initiated ami carried thr(tu«4li: 
till* National support and assistance which il has Ixh'ii 
our tradil ional policy to i;i\o to the imprnNemenl of 
nxors and harlmrs; all these I'onsidciat ions must 
roniniend t henisidves to the minds of inlellii^^ent Soiith- 
erniTs, wlnm the\ enine (•» uiiderstaml the ihiniifsthat 
lMdon;( to their peace. This they will hei^in !(» learn. 
so s«Nin a^ we have heaten d<»wn onee more this cornipl 
and corrupt inir Meimteratic party of the North, and 
the next apportionment shall have <lemonsl rated the 
fact that a new' halanee of power is nn«:iled in the 
North West, and that the seetioiial coiillict is ended 
hy the death of slavery, luid i he layiiiLj of its i^dnjsl.. 

Nohodv wishes to dwell on the p.-iiiiful memories 
of the war. and if our adversaries would only peiiuit 
ii, I.. f..i.r..t ill.. iiMv.iv .-iiuj th* um.. whieli ou«rht to 



16 

lia\«' ciuUmI Hi 1805, wo should take iiiliiiite pleasure 
in (list'iissiii!^ willi them suhjccls ol" more iumiodiale 
interest and practiciil eoncein. Hut Mood li«'shi\ 
shed will vv\ fmni tlu; i^n'oiiiid: and wlu'ii a (•••mniii- 
iiilv is bein;^' straiii^led it is likrly tosipical; and all 
thcsf things keep Mk' history <>f Ihc rchcllinn contin- 
nallv in mind. Mvcn if \\v dro}) tlntse nnplcasant 
snltjocts, hit\V(;N(i', ami <<mline onrselves to tlu'olaims 
(»r the t\V(» parlies t<> the sntTi':i;jjes of the ctuiiiliv 
upon I heir <'conomie and a»lministrat ive nu'i'its, the 
hemocratir part\ uMI fare as hadly in a roinparison 
with tin- IJt pnhlican. a- if the slamluid u a- that of 
loyalty. 

'Po mv mind. I admit, the irrcater issue so dwarfs 
llir Ic-s, thai I hflii'Nc t he I K-u H •« Ta! h • parl\ disipiai- 
ilird jinni icLcainiiij^ t he ('.(ulidcnce of tlir people of 
this eonnti'V, hy its unatonrd eiinu'S. Kveii if ii 
contained within its ranks, whieh it certainly does 
not., hettei" lawyers, hetter administ ratiu's, hitter 
stjilesiujin than we can show, I wmild stdl feel that 
tin; irovcrnmcut should n<»t he L:i\en into hands 
stained crimson with the blood «»f cil i/ens. 'f'iiere 
(Uiu^ht to be no ipiestion of the fitness of tlu'se men. 
Thev (Uiirht to feel that they are impossible. An 
absurd comparison has sometimes (M-curred to me, 
thoui^h not more absurd than the ctTrontery of this 
erinnnal parts in demanilini; the contidem-e td' t he 
Nation. \*ni want a irootl man to oversee vour bir-i- 
iiess. A sinister-lookittLT customer comes up ami 
])ropose.s himself. ** What are your <ietlent iais fiom 
your last place!'' ' you naturally ask. ** Well," lie 



17 

answers, " I have been out of a job for the last twenty 
years." *' How did that happen?" '*0h! I had a 
first rate place, but my employer and I had a differ- 
ence of opinion about the way the business ought to 
be run, and I tried to cut his throat. We had a tight 
and he kicked me out at last, but not before I had 
destroyed several thousand milli m dolhii's of proper- 
ty, and killed about hall* a million of his family." 
And to make the analogy i)ei'fect the murderous 
tramp ought to say in conclusion, *'And now as I 
come to look at you, you are the same man I had the 
fight with. But I am willing to forgive and forget 
— so give me your keys and say no more about it. I 
can run this business better than you can." 

Is not this the attitude of the men who control the 
Democratic party to-day? 

\Uit coming down to the practical question, let us 
see which of these parties has shown the greatest 
business capacity, and which offers the best guarantee 
for future successful service. For twenty years the 
lu'publicans have had the executive control of affairs, 
and are to a great extent res])onsible for the steward- 
shii) of tiiis vast estate during that time. For some 
twenty years before that the l)emo(;rats controlled 
this country. IStJO was like 1880, ;i year of peace 
and prosperity. It is fair, therefore, to C(Mn})Hre the 
g(;neral situation of the country in a finaiu.'ial and 
commercial point of view at the time when the Dem- 
ocrats left power, with the situation to-day after 
twenty years of Kepublican rule. If the Nation has 
not retrogiaded, the party in power has not prevented 



18 



its growth and liculth. If it IiiW g(Hie steadily for- 
ward, tlic part}- in jxiwer is cntitlod to smm' credit 
for liMvin«; asj^isted its pro^^'rc-s. and if it luus made 
great and extraordinay advances, the party nnder 
whose rule those a'dvanccs have been made, is enti- 
tled to Liu* gratitude and the confidence of the people. 
What are the facts? The following table will show 
them : 





;-" 


IlK-. 

perc't. 


Populution . 


8l,*4Ji,S« 


48,&00,UU0 


fif). 


Wht-at protluix'd, liu»h. 


178, 101,924 


44O,UUO,000 


IM.'-' 


Whisit export*xl, l»UMh. 


4,1M,1&S 


17.'.,0«)0,l)llO 


4111. S 


Corn pnxltuxHl, Imwh 


IJJW.TW,740 


1.460,UOQ,OUU 


72.0 


Com f\|>ortwl, \»ih]\. 


3,su,ao& 


IUO,(»0,OUO 


2017.3 


Wool prwluctsl, Il«- 


«M",tW4,0l« 


£t2,&00,OoO 


285.8 


Cottoii prmliu-wl, IkiU-* 


i.^iJ,770 


r.,o7ft,ooo 


17.0 


Petroleum protluced, hl»li». 


CiOU.OOO 


10.741,(161 


3ti48.3 


Iron protlut-fd, toiw. . . 


Ul»,770 


8,070,875 


'234.1 


lUiUi proiluitxi, tontt. . . 


- ..t3a 


1,113,273 


442.0 


IIopi (NK-kud 




• •'-'•.4M 


105.7 


liuttcr exported, lb«. . . 


, M I 


-. I'.ulO 


4U0.0 


Checsje exjiorUxl, !!>». . . 


, 15,7W 


141.054,474 


613.5 


\lerchandiM,' iin|>ort«.. 


«3»i.Ai2,486 


«070,000,UUU 


00.3 


Merchiuidiiiv export*. . 


«31U,24S,4£t 


$l£t6,UUO,UO0 


104.2 


Gold and Silver produix'd 


^^^^:^0,ooo 


179,711,900 


72.0 


Oold antl Silver ex|K>rt4."»l. 


<!Ci7,W6,104 






Odd and Silver iniivirti ! 




it-^r. -i-( • w 1 





19 

111 uiic word, wc never before produced so much 
iron, so much cotton, so miicli wheat, so much corn, 
so much i)etrolouni, as during tliis past year. We 
never made so many manufactured articles; we never 
sohl so many to other countries. We never bought so 
many from other countries; and yet so vast is the in- 
crease of our production, that we still have a heavy 
balance of trade in our favor. This is the prosperity 
that comes from wise and good national housekeeping, 
wliere we can afford to buy more tlian we ever did 
before, and not only pay for it with our own produc- 
tions, l)ut liave a handsome sum in cash to the good 
beside. The Republican party has so managed the 
business (jf this country as to bring about not only a 
vast increase of production in every department of 
human activity, but an enormous increase in the 
permanent wealtli of the nation. Under Democratic 
rule, it took all our specie, and soiiiething over, to 
meet the excess of our imports over our exports. 
Now, after twenty years of Republican administra- 
tion, wv keep all our vastly increased i>roduction of 
the precious metals, and have called on Europe beside 
for over *T5,Ui)0,UO(), in the eleven months preceding 
till' 1st of June, to pay for the excess of goods which 
we have sent over the water. We are not only doing 
this vast volume of business, but we are making a 
protit, and laying up wealth at the rate of ^155,000,000 
a year. 

What does this lu'ove? That not only has the 
Republican party administered the National interests 
of this country wisely and well, but that the ideas 



50 

and policy of iho Ui'inociaiic party were- a i)osiiivc 
hiiKlrance and obstacle to prosperity. Any intelli- 
gent and candid man ought lo see that this amazing 
development of the country under Republican rule is 
due in great part to the practice of Uepublican prin- 
ciples. It is due to the change in the policy of the 
Government in regard to the great matters of Na- 
tional concern, the tarilT, internal taxation, the fos- 
terinircare the (iovernment has shown towards munu- 
factures, the more honest and systematic administra- 
tion of revenue atTairs; and m<»re than all this, is it due 
to the strong and irresistible rise of the National i>ros- 
peritv and spirit, through the abolition of slavery, the 
maintenance of the limmcial lionor of the country, 
and the tiiiul defeat of the spirit of disunion. Who 
can truthfully deny that all this is the work of tiie 
Itej)ublicau j>.irty, and that at every step of tliis groat 
work they had to stand like the pcopU) of ancient 
davs, building up the National prosperity with «>ne 
hanil, and lightin'j ib.- I ).-iin,riMiIf (>.iriv uitb ibc 
other? 

lU'fore dropping this branch of the subject, id me 
h'avc with you two f:icts whidi are Ih'IUm" ibaii hours 
of argument. One is this: In lsr;(», afu-r tweul,y 
years of Democraitic rule, the (Jovi-rnment found it 
hard to sell its six per cent, bonds for eighty-nine 
cents on the dollar. In I8so, after twenty years of 
Repul>ru'an rule, the markets of the w<»rld cat<'h up 
greed ilv our four per cent, bonds at a pnMnium of 
nine per cent. What more brilliant feat of tinancial 
management is recorded in history than that? And 



21 

to show that it arises uot from any hick of legitimate 
oiii|)h)ymout of money, tlie circuhir of Dun, Barlow 
c^ (Jo. for July II shows that the failures for the first 
half of 1880 arc less than twenty-live hundred in 
nunihor (2,4'.»7), with liabilities amounting to only 
>5o.'),0()(),0iMj, figures relatively smaller than have been 
chronicled in the memories of business men. The 
moinent resum[)tion was accoihplished, through the 
honor md the courage of this Republican adminis- 
tration, lliis a-^tonisliing improvement in the mer- 
cantile woi-ld l»egan. The first half of 1879 showed 
a lessened loss by bad del)ts of fully one-half over the 
tirst half of 187S, the year before resumption, l^ut 
to th(! a'^lonislnnt'ut of 1 he most sanguine, the result 
I his year siiows thai even tliat enormous ratio of 
inipiovcment, is fully sus(aine(l; for the liabilities of 
the la-Jt half year are only >^:)3,()0(),tH)(), as compared 
with ^j;:,.()(M>.(M)o ill 1871) and >^1 :}(),( 1(H), 000 in 1878, 
— oii''-<|n;irlrr wlialthey were* in the year before re- 
suiupiion, wlicn the Denioeralic piiiy were moving 
heaven .-iiid earlli to prevent the Republicans from 
actMnnplishing ii.and pi-ophe>ying wide-spread ruin 
if it was ean-ietl t iirough. 

Now in view of this slujwing wlii(^h speaks to the 
undcislanding ;in<J lolhc interests of every working 
ni;in aiid every business ni;in in this eounl.ry the qucs- 
iioii ai"ises, Are we sick of all this pros[)erity? Do we 
wisji to go back to the low wages, the small prolits, 
the constant excess of debt, over credit, the constant 
unfavorable balance of trade which we had nnder a 
Democratic administration? Have we had enough of 



tilis libt-nil L'Mij>l<»viiu'!il of laltoi, tlu'si' prolits «»f iium- 
ufactiirers in which the wuikingincii piirt icipiite, of 
these eoinfortahk' lioiiies, of thfso thriviiiij fjirriis? Do 
wo wish to lurii Icick this tiili* of iinini^nilion whicli 
is coming to our shores in ^neater luiinbcrs and of a 
butter chuss tliai) we have ever seen hfforc? 17*. <>()(> 
iinnii<^rants laiulcMl at the port of New York thinn*; 
tlie six months endin;^ with .July: and are we ready lo 
say to tliem, and to their friends who Iio|k' to follow, 
that we are eontemplatinir a change (jf p(dicy, whicii, 
the best you can say of it, will be doubtful in ii-J ef- 
fects upon public prosperity? 

I know in the platforms and speeches of the I demo- 
crats they j)Ut forward a |)reiense of economy, of 
retrencliment jind reform, but nowhere can they show 
you the facts and the tigures to justify this pretense. 
It is true tliat they have l>een vigorously attempting 
for tlie last few years to nullify the laws by which our 
marshals are paid and to starve the courts into (!losing 
their doors, their reason for this Ixjing that their sen- 
sibilities have l)een outraged because the Itepublican 
marshals and their deputies do not seem disposed to 
allow earnest and sincere Democrats U) voti» more 
than once, an*! where they arc not citizens, do not 
allow them to vote at all. Several, of the United 
States marshals have U'cn borrowing money at two 
per cent a month in some of our Western States and 
Territories to keep their courts open and to i)revent 
the course of justice from being blocked by the mulish 
obstinacy of this Democratic Congress. The Marshal 
of Dakota has boon ]^avinfr interest at the rate of 



23 

eiirhtooii per fciit <ni the money with which lie was 
nnminLC tlie couits. The mtirshiil of Iowa lias advanc- 
ed ten thousand dollars and tlien in a tit of perfectly 
justiliahle disgust, he asked that the courts might be 
a<lj')urueil. In Maine the marshal has lent the Gov- 
ernment 9T,SUU and the United States Circuit Judge 
in anger and shame says that he will not ask him 
to increase this amount by another cent. In Xew 
Hampshire the court has been closed, and in many 
other States the Government of the United States is 
placed in the degrading position of owing money to 
its own otlicers which Congress will not allow it to 
pay. For such economy as this they are entitled to 
all the credit whicii belongs to it, but so far as their 
claim is concerned of having reduced public expendi- 
tures it is as false and fraudulent as any other claim 
which they make u))on the public favor. 

During the last five years in which the Republicans 
controlled botli branches of Congress the annual ex- 
penditures of the government were reduced from 
^2'>2, 177,188 to !5?2.")8,4r)0,707, a. saving of about 
:j?:U.OOO,()0() a vear. In the new and ignorant zeal 
with which the Democrats came into power, working 
for a party cry rather than for the interests of the 
country, they slashed at the api)ropriations so as to 
make an apparent saving of some !ji20,000,000. They 
made the most of this in their newspapers and on the 
stump, and perhaps i)eople did not pay sufllcient at- 
tention to the fact that this policy simjdy resulted in 
heavy deficiency bills. The crippled public service 
had to be taken care of in this clumsy and expensive 



wuv. HiiL a.s .soon as iIk'V Ich at lioiiie in tlieir st-al^ 
all jM'Ctonse of economy in tlie adniinistratitin of 
aHairs wius thrown aside. l''or the liscal yeur rmlin;^ 
.III Mr .*U>, 187'.», the ai»pro|>rialion8 s\velle«l to ♦vNWI,- 
!HT,(KM», for tlie next year they went to *v".»S,(km»,(MK>, 
and for the current fiscal year their ap|»n»priationrf in- 
drpenchut of any deficiency that nniy arise, amount to 
nearly *v".»v*.(MM),(KM). That is the sort of Deniorratic 
econ«)my which yon have heard so much ahout. The 
annual evpendiiures of the (Jovernmeni have lurn 
increased hy nearly ^|n,(M»o,(KMi since tin- Kepiihlic^in 
party controlled hoth hraiiches of ('on;;ress. Kvery 
hureau of ('nh;;ress ha,-* heen filltMl wilh a huni^rv 
pa<'k of thr s<ms and cousins and de|H-ndrnt.s of Con- 
federate Memln^rs of ('on^jress. und the puhlic money 
has heon lavinhed u|toM th<*in wiHuuit sininie or resiTvo. 
|)urin;; these same last five years in which tlie Ilepuh- 
lican party controlled the (lovernmcnt thev rednced 
the duties on imports to the amount of *:;i.(»onjMM(. 
'i'he hemocrats whUe pretendin;^ to Im* in favor of fret* 
trade have nuide no reductions whatever. They have 
reduc(>d thoincom« from internal revenue, and thisirt 
|)erhaps the most charac^teristic lhin<;they have done. 
If there is anythin«^ dear to the heart <»f a Southern 
statesman it is whiskey an«l toha<-co. and the only 
great financial nus-isure which they havu proposed and 
carriud throu;;h the houses of Cong rens since they oh- 
tained control of them h:is In-en the depriving of the 
Unitctl States (Jovernment «»f ♦! I.jmmijmio n year 
which was formerly raise*! uj»on these two articles of 
j>riine Democratic consumpti<in. This is the only 



-.'.) 



tliiii<( thfy liavo to offset tlie reduction made l)y the 
Ko|Mil)licaiis durin<r tlieir last five years of control of 
^SH,<MM>,(MMi which was taken from almost every form 
of industry in the country. That is tlie sort of balance 
slieot which tlie two parties strike — the Democrats 
have reduced taxation to the amount of -i'l IJ^^i'^JKU). 
almost wholly in theinterest of tol>aceo clicwers and 
whisky dri?ikers: the Kepnhlican parly in five years 
rcducc<l taxation in all to the amouiil of >5r^(),(MH).0()(i 
a year f«)r the benelit of all the })eople. 

In short the Democratic party has shown as much 
iucapa<'ity since it ^aineil lh(» majority in Conu^ress, as 
it showe«l disloyalty and immoi;iliiy whiU' it was in 
tin' Miiiiorit V. It has lK»<»n aMr to do litrrally nol iiini;; 
it has Ix-fM «t\('i-wli('lm('d hv tin- icsponsiliilities of 
lepislatiofi. No session sint^e t lie ( iov( rnnniit was 
formed, has so littlr ti» show in the way of i-esiilts for 
the time expenilod. as the session which has just (closed. 
Matters about which everybody is ai::reed could not 
got tbroufjh (•oii'xress. lni|H»rtaiit public luisim^ss 
failed because the I imc was needed \'*>y partisan Ii;ir- 
an;;m*s and personal explanations. If one lioiKiiablc 
;,'rntloman called anothi'r a liai" il involve<l the l(>ss<»f 
a <lav or two. 'J'hev would liurrv (brouirh a bill foi- 
s|M'ndin;,' millionsof d(»llars in llvj' fuinules. and llieii 
wranirle all <lav lo timl out whet tier a nioti(jn tostfike 
out two words was in order. Not only diti I hey fail 
to accomplish the proper ami necessary work for which 
thev were sent there, but they also failed iiriiominiously 
in most of the attempted rascalities. With (behest 
of got)d will, they could not steal Semitor Kolloggs' 



•30 

scat, Uumj^li Mu'y tricMl (Ikmi- wmst fnr iiioiiIIk. Tlu'V 
;irnui;;t'd to put l»;uk Fitz John Portrr into the army 
ami to p:iy liini *7.'),(KM) for liiiYiiiLr f«»uf(lit ill Uull Itun 
uii Deinocnilic priii('i|>K'S, l)iit tlu'Vixoi friglit<'iu'«l out 
of it ill till' course of tlel»ate and ilro|)iH'(l it till next 
winter. They perfeete*! u conspinury to rol» ;i Minue- 
sotii district of its representative, employing,' fi>r the 
purpose an iiii^'enious conibinatiiui of bribery, perjury 
and aiu)!iyrnous letters, and at the end of it all, Mr. 
Washburn remains in bis seat, and every Democrat in 
the alTair needs a batli of eldoride of lime before he 
can ap|M'ar in public aj^uin. Kvon their fav()rito 
scheme U> steal the Presidency by concurrent resolu- 
tion of the two houses they were unable to pjws, from 
sheer lack of parliamentary knowled<,'e. There has 
never been a more remarkable instam*e of a Providen- 
tial dispensaiion — that this, the worst-intentioned 
Congress that ever sat in Wtisbington should be also 
the most incapable: the most reatly to do wrong, and 
the most impotent to follow its own evil impuU?9. 
One reason for this was perhaps that they felt no very 
outra«reous scheme could ever l>ccome a law, jus it 
would require not only a majority of both houses, 
but also the concurrence of a bnive, constnentious 
an<l intelli^^ent gentleman at the other end of the 
avenue, a President who knows the right and dares 
maintain it. We know from what vicious legislation 
his timely vetoes have saved us— we will never know 
liow iniuh of L^ood the fear of his vetoed has done. 



It rt'fnains to con.sider hriolly the jittitmlo of the 
two inirtics a^ cxliil)ited in tliuir conventions and thiir 
candidates. 

The nominations made ou botli sides this year are 
eharacteristic. The Kepnl)lif'ans have nominated one 
of their foremost statesmen — a man wlio re])resents 
the history, the purpose, the principles of the ]>arty; 
who was a Republican before the party was nanied ; 
who sliared its earliest struggles: who, when the 
ordeal by battle was decreed, went into the army, 
where he represented on many a strieke!i tield that ad- 
vanced and ardent Repui)licanism which believed 
that the country was worth fighting for, and worth 
jtinifvinL'^; who, called from the lield to the council, 
obeyed that summons also, ajid has ever since repre- 
sented on the floor of Congress tlie better element of 
the }>eo]>le who believe in Xationality, in honesty and 
common sense in linance, and in the sacredness of 
the cfpial rights of the citizen. He has never had 
anv ojMiiions to ((Hiccal. No man has ever doubted 
his position. lb' iias been tried in war and in peace. 
On every great point of c<3ntroversy his record is 
open to the light. His life's work is a i)laiform, 
parallel to that a<lopted at Chicago, and not dilTering 
from it by a word or a phrase. 

Have the Democrats done anything like this? Did 
they select at Cincinnati one of their representative 
statesmen, a man whose name would mean some- 
thing in the way of purpose or i)olicy!'' Nothing of 
the kind. They knew well enough that a Democrat 
with a record could not be elected, and they went to 



28 



the rcgiihir army for a caiulidate who rnioht be pre- 
suiitud to tlie people as no Democrat at all. The 
secret m(itive underlying this choice I shall speak of 
ill a moment. And I wish (o ohserve at this time 
tiiat I shall have nothing to say ahout the i)ers(>iial 
character of either candidate. They arc l>oth men 
who deserve and enjoy the love and esteem of their 
friends. Between now and November they will both 
be charged with plenty of p'llv little infamies, bnl 
nnbddy will believe a word of ii all. The Democrats 
know that (Jeneral (Jarlield is an able, pali-iotie and 
hone>t man, of great capacity, nnsnllied (diaracter 
and blamehss life. The Ivepiiblicans know that (len- 
eral lianccK-k is a gallant soldiei and an acconiplisheil 
gentleiiiaii. Iloili of ilimi have priva.c chara(;t,ers 
without slain; both have rendered signal services to 
the Kepiiblie. All llic mudlhatcan be thrown at 
I hem will delile oidy the hands that thr<»w il. 

I'm when we come to talk of thiMn as candidates 
for the I^'csidency there is a vast dilTenMice between 
them, ami we claim ilial t he ad n antage is all on one 
•"^ide. \\ .' pi-cseiil lo ihe propic for i heir snif rages 
one (d" themselves. Although giftiul with great pow- 
ers of juind and elevation of (diaracter which have 
lifted him in place alH)ve the resi, of us, (ieneral (Jar- 
lield is still one af the people in feeling, in sympathv, 
as Well as in origin. Ilr was born in an obscure vil- 
lage of Ohio in the humblest surroumlings. Not ofu^ 
of us ever battled more i)ersistently in boyhood against 
adverse circumstances. From a child he was inured 
to labor. He ate his bread in the sweat of bis brow. 



29 

Had it not been for the unconquerable soul within 
him he might have been to-day a day-laborer on your 
streets, for all that fortune has done for him. He 
thirsted for knowledge as a hart for the water-brooks. 
After lal»orious days he stole hours from sleep and 
spent them with his books. Almost before he ceased 
to be a mechanical laborer he had become a scholar. 
His merits marked him for a leader as soon as he was 
out of school. His fellow citizens sent him to repre- 
sent them in the Ohio Senate — the youngest man in 
that body. ^V'hen the war came the man of books 
left his study and took up arms; the young men who 
knew and honored him gathered about him; and he 
became at once Colonel of a noble regiment, the 
famous Forty-Second Ohio, and soon commanded a 
brigade. He served with not only credit but high 
distinction, and became a Major-General by sheer de- 
serving; and then the people of his district needing 
him in Congress, elected him to that service where 
he was to win the highest honors attainable to the 
citizen. Xot one step in all this upward i)rogress 
l»ad been won by luck or favor; and now he was to 
enter a field in wliich no favor was possible. The 
man wlio becomes tlie leader of his party on the iloor 
of Congress must l)e, to all intents and purposes, the 
strongest man in liis party; and when Mr. Blaine, 
that peerless, born chieftain, went to the Senate, 
there was no one to dis})ute for a moment tlie claim 
of Ceneral (rarfield to the leadershij) of the House. 
Here he remained, fighting always on the right side — 
the side of honesty in finance; the side of loyalty in 



So 

National affairs; the side of linman rights and of law 
and order; always, like Sanl, a head and shoulders 
above his fellows, until the Republican party of Ohio 
unanimously promoted him to the Senate, and the 
Republican party of the Nation unanimously claimed 
him for President. It is one of the most striking 
instances in our political history of the steady legiti- 
mate growth and development of a citizen and a 
statesman. It is of men like this that the founders 
of the constitution expected and intended that Presi- 
dents should be made. 

Now, when we come to consider the candidacy of 
General Hancock, we are at once met by an anomaly 
which needs explanation. What reason is there that 
a convention dominated by the solid South, full of 
men who had fought against us, should have chosen 
as their candidate a gentleman known only to the 
country as a brilliant and successful general in the 
war? It is not often that a party defeated in battle 
chooses for its standard bearer one of the men who 
have inflicted upon it the humiliation and disaster of 
defeat. It cannot merely be admiration of his sol- 
dierly qualities that induced these gentlemen at 
Cincmnati to nominate General Hancock with such 
enthusiasm, and which induced Mr. Wade Hampton 
to pledge to him the solid vote of a Republican State. 
If they wanted to vote for a Union soldier, they had 
a much better chance in 1868 and 1872. Some 
other reason must be looked for, and two have been 
given in different quarters since the nomination 
was made, which together may perhaps serve to ac- 



31 

count for it. The Democrats of the North insist that 
they did not nominate General Hancock as a soldier. 
They did not nominate him upon his war record. 
One may almost say that their claim is that they did 
•not nominate General Hancock at all, that tliey nom- 
inated a Democratic politician of that name, who was 
sent by Andrew Johnson to New Orleans to execute 
the personal wishes of that eccentric statesman in the 
administration of the States of Louisiana and Texas, 
and to do what he could in obedience to the known 
prejudices of the President to nullify within his ju- 
risdiction the acts of a Republican Congress. General 
Ord, General Canby and General Phil. Sheridan 
were not found to be available timber for work of 
this sort, but General Hancock immediately justified 
the sagacity of the President who chose him for this 
service by issuing a series of Democratic circulasr 
under the guise of general orders, informing the rebel 
leaders of those States, that so far as he was concerned 
they might do just about as they pleased without fear 
of interference from the military authorities. This, 
of course, constitutes a strong claim upon the Dem- 
ocratic party of the North and upon the consolidated 
States of the South. But this, it appears, was not 
enough; and here I enter upon a subject which seems 
to me one of the gravest which have ever been sub- 
mitted to the judgment of the American people at a 
Presidential election. It is a matter which involves 
the very structure of the Government, being the first 
instance in our history where^the sword has presumed 
to usurp the functions of the legislature and the ju- 



32 

diciary. Shortly after the nominations were made at 
Cincinnati, it hegan to he rumored that the influences 
which were l)rou2;ht to hear upon the Southern dele- 
gates to solidify them for Hancock were of a very 
peculiar nature. It was asserted that Senator Eaton, 
of Connecticut, had givon out that at the time the 
result of the last Presidential election was disputed 
and ill doubt, and while the subject of the constitu- 
tional method of counting the electoral vote was 
under discussion in Congress, (Jeneral Hancock wrote 
a letter to General Sherman, annouucing that in case 
the President of the Senate should declare Mr Hayes 
elected, and the House of Representatives should 
differ in oi)inion, he had ma<le up his mind to disre- 
gard the announcement of the President of the 
Senate, and in case the House of Representatives 
should declare Mr. Tilden, President, he would take 
that declaration as his rule of conduct, and would 
place his sword and his command at the disposition 
of Mr. Tilden. This story seemed too incredible for 
belief. It outraged every tradition of the Rei)ublic. 
It was referred to for some days merely as a dark 
rnmor. At last Mr. Atkins, a Democratic delegate 
tu the Cincinnati Convention from Vermoat, declared 
that the story was true, that it was greatly to the 
credit of General Hancock, and that it contributed 
powerfully to his nomin.itiou at Cincinnati. He gav(i 
as his authority for the story, (Jeneral W. F. Smith. 
General Smith was immediately asked as to the truth 
of it, and he confirmed it in every particular, and 
unhesitatingly justified the conduct of General Han- 



33 

cock. Thus the story stands at present. General 
Hancock on being asked whether it is true or not 
declines to answer, and says if Gei;eral Sherman has 
any such letter and wishes to publish it he can do so. 
General Sherman, on grounds of military etiquette 
and propriety, in regard to which we can have 
nothing to say, declines to publish any correspondence 
between himself and General Hancock on this subject. 
In that attitude of the case the matter must be taken 
as admitted and confessed. It is asserted and de- 
fended by the friends of General Hancock, and is not 
denied by himself. We have therefore a right to 
assume that the story is true. 

I imagine the people of this part of the country 
will think twice before they vote to place in the office 
of chief magistrate of this Nation a man who can 
have been capable of such an act as this— an act 
which shows his utter incapacity to appreciate the 
very nature of Republican constitutional government. 
There are countries, we know, where it is the fashion 
for Major-Generals to declare who shall be and who 
have been elected President, but the fashion has never 
yet taken root in the soil of Anglo-Saxon communi- 
ties, and we are not inclined to cultivate it. We 
keep Congress at great expense to make our laws, and 
courts to interpret them, and no Major-General, how- 
ever handsome and gallant he may be, can have the 
function in this day and generation to decide con- 
tested points of constitutional law, at the invitation 
of a party caucus, or his own caprice. We have some 
dozen general officers in our army, and if they should 



34 

each take it into their heals iu*xt fall, following the 
example of General Hancock, to declare acme differ- 
ent friend and fellow citizen elected, it might be a 
cause of inconvenience. (Jeneral Hancock might not 
object, because he could declare liis own election; but 
I am very sure that General (lartield and (ieiural 
Hayes and the general public would not approve. 

Hut, after all, it is not General Hancock so much 
iis his p*rty we are discussing, and the whole case 
may be stated very brielly. Tiie country cannot 
alTord Lo run the risk of putting tlie Democratic j>arty 
in power at this time. Of c«uirsc it is unre:iso!iable 
to expect and unwise to desire that oiu' party should 
remain forever in possession of the (lovernment. An 
occasional change is natural an<l salutary. IxM the 
hmiocratic party follow once iheir iu'tter impulses 
iiid put their better elements in control, and we 
miirht see some advantage U> i»oth parties in llnir 
dividing tho administration of atfairs. jiut they 
should first ])urg»i themselves of e«)mpli(:ity with law- 
lessness, ami then present themselves with a clear and 
definite purpose and scheme of (lovernment. No 
man living can tell to-day what they inU'iid to «lo. 
Ill Maine they have coalesced with the wildest inlla- 
tionists; in Indiana they are running a National 
banker for \'ice President and a liat -money man for 
Governor. In I'tJiisylvania they pretend U) be tnrilT- 
men; in New Wnk they pretend to be free- trade r.s. In 
the South no man can be a candinate for ollice unless 
he served in the rebel army; in the North the favorite 
device is to sail this ship with a war iigurehead and a 



35 

copperhead crew. Their success would mean simply 
cliiiii^e, and uo man knows what the change would 
l)e. 

I ])elicve the American people have sufficient prac- 
tical sense to let well enough alone. They are in the 
enjoyment of peace, freedom and prosperity, except 
in a few States of the South, and they do not wish to 
ado|)t the principles or i)ractices of those States. 
Their finances are in admirable condition; they do 
not wish tliem disturbed and unsettled. Their civil 
service wiis never so lioncst and efficient as now; they 
do not wish it exposed to a rusli of hungry jind un- 
tried office-seekers. Their revenue system brings in 
a million a day: they do not want it tinkered by Con- 
gress. Tlieir debt is being daily reduced; they do 
not want its reduction stopped or its ultimate pay- 
ment thrown in doubt. I'heir Government is sub- 
stantially in the hands of tlie men wlio have always 
been true to it: they do not wish to see it given over 
to tlu' men who tried for years to destroy it. 

There is the issue, and it cannot be avoided by such 
fiinisv (kivices as the nomination of a Union soUlier 
here and there. A candidate may easily be worse 
than his party: he cannot possil)ly be better. He 
must rei)resent its record, not his own: he must carry 
out its policy, and not hi^ own. Fortunately we liave 
a man of the lirsr rank as a patriot and statesman to 
earrv our banner, but the banner itself is the sacred 
thing. (Jeneral ( Jarfield represents an unbroken tra- 
dition of loyalty and good Government. The gallant 



face of (lenoral Hancock is a mask l>olnii(l whicli the 
treasons, defeats and liostilities wf a generation hide. 

It is not the first time this <ram«' «)f (U*cuv-snhlicr 
hixs been tried. In IS'il, when tlie worUl was tremn- 
lous witli the shock of the contest which was to 
tletormine whether this Xation shouM live or die, a 
Democratic convent ion met in Chicago, solemnly de- 
clared that the war was a failure, and nominated for 
President a Union soldior of far greater fain** and 
popularity than the onc'they now offer us. Thi- pe»>- 
plc, unda/.zled hy his unift>rm, chose again for their 
rulor the plain citizen, in whost- honest hands they 
felt the Nation wau safe. Only hint year the Demo- 
cracy of Ohio nominated forliovernor the hamlsomest 
and most eloipient soldier they could find, and plac<'d 
on the ticket with him anoth- > ■ ^''.'llcnt (Jeneral, 
maimed on the Hold of hatth rything wjus in 

General Ewing's favor except his principles and the 
party behind him; but the jKJople took up a countrv 
merchant from Fostoria, and with him Ix-'at General 
Hwing out of his cavalry bi)ots. 

\Vc send this bit of history and Us moral, with our 
kinilest regards, to (iencral IlanciKrk on Governor's 
Islam!. We hope he will not resign. We run beat 
him e:isier if he retains his C4>mmi(Mion, and he de- 
serves more than that for Gettvsburg. 

In concludiuir. I have a wonl to sav to uic Vouii" 
Men of this State — to those wln) are just beginning, 
their civic life, who are just listing their lirst votcH 
in a National election. Many of you an- Demo(Tat8 
through some accident of ;issociation, without having 



37 

niiiturely weighed tlie history and the in'iiiciples of 
the two parties. I ask you to look l)ack for twenty 
years and see upon whicli side the continuing honor 
and irhiry lie. Which party elected Abraliam Lincoln? 
Whicli party opposed, villified and finally killed him? 
Whicli party freed the slaves? Which party l)uilt tlie 
Pacific I{iiilroad? Wliich saved the Union and the 
honor of the flag? Which sustained the financial 
integrity of the Nation, and nia<k^ its credit the best 
in the world? If it he riglit to regard with pride the 
fulfillment of your duties as citizens, look around you 
and see who hoasts that he voted for Hreckenridge in 
lSiU)'f Who hrags that he cast his first vote for Val- 
landigham? What father tells his children that he 
lahorod to put Buchan;iii in the White House? On 
the one side is a record of glory and good re[)utc 
which sheds something of lustre on the declining days 
of every man who fought that de'5})erate battle against 
slavery and treason. On the other it is a shameful 
story of half-lieurte<l loyalty or open rebellion, of 
ignorant or malicious opposition to liglit and knowl- 
etlge, of blind and futile defiance to the stars in their 
courses, fighting for freedom and progress. Why 
should young men — for youth is generous and strong; 
it looks hopefully to the future: it holds its honest 
brow proudly to the broadening duwn—why should 
young mcii choose to cast in their lot with a discred- 
ited and soiled record, with a party which only asks 
of the present, the i)lunder o( ollice: and of history, 
only oblivion. With what nobl(! thought, with what 
liigh enterprise, has that party been associated in the 



38 

last quarter of a century? What purpose but that of 
blind obstruction has it served? I firmly believe it 
has no space left it for repentance. Its place is fixed 
in history. It forms the dark background upon which 
the deeds of valor and of wisdom of Republican wor- 
thies stand out in burning lines of light. It is writ- 
ten, and can never be forgotten, that in the long 
contest by which the Nation was saved, a race enfran- 
chised, the Xational honor sustained and heightened, 
this Demoeratic party, as a party, despite the heroism 
and loyalty of individuals, stood by in sullen obstruc- 
tion, refusing alike the labor and the glory. 

This is no fit fellowship for brave and magnanimous 
youth. If you wish to cast a vote you will be proud 
of when you are old, if you wish to take j)art in the 
sympathies and the memories of a great era on the 
side of light and liberty and progress, you will never 
have a better chance than now. The National glory 
and the National welfare have been in Republican 
keeping for twenty years, with the results you see. 
In the ranks of that party are enlisted the greater 
portion of the virtue and intelligence of the land; 
while its counsels are iiallowed by the traditions of 
the patriots and martyrs of the great war. Its past 
is luminous with the story of beneficent achievements; 
its future is as bright with promise as the radiance of 
the morning stars. 



\ 



LIBf?ARY OF CONGRE: 



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013 903 544 6 * 



